Carbon black/rubber composition

ABSTRACT

Carbon black/rubber composition containing 100 parts by weight of a rubber and from 40 to 200 parts by weight of a special carbon black, with the composition having a steeper tan δ temperature profile and flatter G* temperature profile than when regular tire tread black is used.

This invention relates to a new rubber composition in which carbon black is incorporated. In particular, the invention relates to a carbon black/rubber composition for use in tyre treads.

Carbon black plays a critical role in tyre compositions. The differences in carbon black properties have a strong influence on important features of a rubber composition for tyres, such as abrasion and heat build-up. For this reason, particularly in high performance tyres and tyres for high stress conditions, different carbon black/rubber compositions are used for the tyre tread and for the tyre wall.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,782,927 describes a rubber composition for low rolling resistance and high wet skid resistance.

DE-34 26 864 discloses a rubber composition for tyre treads having a relatively low energy loss.

An object of this invention is to provide a new carbon black/rubber composition.

A further object of this invention is to provide a carbon black/rubber composition which allows control of properties of tyre compositions by mixing such a carbon black/rubber composition into tyre compositions.

Furthermore, a further object of this invention is to provide a new carbon black which, owing to its properties in carbon black/rubber compositions, allows a particularly advantageous "tailoring" of the properties of such carbon black/rubber compositions, namely by mixing the new carbon black/rubber composition into other rubber compositions.

This invention provides a new carbon black/rubber composition as defined in the claims.

In particular, the carbon black in the composition of this invention has the following properties:

a) a surface area (determined by means of nitrogen or by means of CTAB) of from 30 to 100 m² /g, preferably from 40 to 80 m² /g;

b) a DBP value of from 90 to 180 ml/100 g, preferably from 130 to 180 ml/100 g;

c) a 24M4-DBP value of from 70 to 130 ml/100 g, preferably from 85 to 120 ml/100 g;

where, furthermore, when the carbon black is incorporated in a standard carbon black/rubber composition of this invention and the composition is vulcanized in accordance with ASTMD-3191 at 155° C. at t₉₀, this standard carbon black/rubber composition has the following features:

    ______________________________________                                         a)  tan δ (1 Hz) at                                                          -22° C. > 0.320                                                                               preferably > 0.340                                       18° C. 0.140 to 0.200                                                                         preferably 0.150 to                                                            0.180                                                    58° C. 0.100 to 0.140                                                                         preferably 0.110 to                                                            0.130                                                    98° C. < 0.090 preferably < 0.085                                        ##STR1##             minimum 0.76;                                        b)  tan δ (10 Hz) at                                                         -22° C. > 0.550                                                                               preferably > 0.570                                       18° C. 0.130 to 0.200                                                                         preferably 0.160 to                                                            0.185                                                    58° C. 0.110 to 0.160                                                                         preferably 0.130 to                                                            0.150                                                    98° C. < 0.110 preferably < 0.100                                        ##STR2##             minimum 0.83;                                        c)  G* (1 Hz) at                                                                   -22° C. 8 to 16                                                                               preferably 9 to 12                                       18° C. 3.5 to 7.0                                                                             preferably 4 to 5.5                                      58° C. 3 to 7.0                                                                               preferably 3 to 4.5                                      98° C. 2.5 to 5.0                                                                             preferably 2.8 to 4.0                                    G* (-22° C.)-G* (98° C.);                                                              maximum 8;                                           d)  G* (10 Hz) at                                                                  -22° C. 14 to 21                                                                              preferably 15 to 18                                      18° C. 4 to 8  preferably 4.5 to 6                                      58° C. 3 to 6  preferably 3.4 to 4.8                                    98° C. 3 to 5.5                                                                               preferably 3 to 4.5                                      G* (-22° C.)-G* (98° C.);                                                              maximum 14.                                          ______________________________________                                    

The above properties are determined in accordance with the following methods:

    ______________________________________                                         nitrogen surface area                                                                             ASTM D-3037                                                 CTAB surface area  ASTM D-3765                                                 DBP                ASTM D-2414                                                 24M4-DBP           ASTM D-3493                                                 tan δ        vulcanized in ASTM                                                             D3191 at 155° C. at t.sub.90                         G*                 vulcanized in ASTM                                                             D3191 at 155° C. at t.sub.90.                        ______________________________________                                    

Tan δ and G* were measured on a Rheometrix RDA 700 using the following parameters:

    ______________________________________                                         specimen shape:  strips                                                        deformation:     torsion                                                       deformation amplitude:                                                                          2%                                                            temperatures:    -20° C., 20° C., 60° C.,                                  100° C.                                                frequency:       0.1-100 Rad/s                                                                  (radians/s)                                                   ______________________________________                                    

The preferred carbon black of this invention possesses large aggregates which preferably have a branched or chain-like structure (cf. accompanying SEM photograph).

The nitrogen surface area and the CTAB surface area are preferably both about the same; no porosity or tar-like residues are present.

The rubber composition according to this invention preferably contains from 40 to 200 parts by weight of the abovementioned carbon black per 100 parts by weight of rubber. The rubber is preferably selected from 1, 2 or 3 of the following elastomers:

natural rubber

diolefin-monovinylarene copolymer rubber, in particular butadiene-styrene copolymer rubber

polyalkadiene, more preferably polybutadiene and polyisoprene.

If desired and preferably, the composition can also contain small amounts of other rubbers, especially chloro or bromo rubbers, such as polyisoprene or halobutyls, preferably chloropolyisoprenne, bromoisoprene, halopolyisobutylene. Halobutyls are, for example, haloisobutylene rubbers (CIIR - BIIR). The amount of such special rubbers in the compositions of this invention is preferably from 5 to 30 parts by weight based on 100 parts per weight of the main rubber. In addition, the rubber compositions of this invention contain as the further main constituent the carbon black defined above, and they usually contain other typical additives such as plasticizers, antioxidants and accelerators. The compositions normally contain vulcanizers such as sulfur.

Preferably, the composition may contain from 20 to 100 parts by weight of an abrasion-resistant tyre tread black and from 20 to 100 parts by weight of the above-described carbon black, based on 100 parts by weight of the rubber.

The following examples illustrate the invention. Furthermore, they contain particularly preferred features of the invention.

EXAMPLE

A carbon black/rubber composition which is suitable as a tyre tread composition for passenger car tyres was prepared by mixing the following constituents in a mixer for a total amount of about 1.5 kg of rubber composition:

                  TABLE 1                                                          ______________________________________                                         (Amounts in parts by weight)                                                                    N339  Ensaco 150                                              ______________________________________                                          1: SBR 1712 EM.sup.(1)                                                                           137.5   137.5                                                2: Carbon black.sup.(2)                                                                          80.0    80.0                                                 3: ZnO.sup.(3)    3.0     3.0                                                  4: Stearic acid.sup.(4)                                                                          2.5     2.5                                                  5: Ingralen 450.sup.(5)                                                                          10.0    10.0                                                 6: Protektor G 32.sup.(6)                                                                        1.0     1.0                                                  7: Vulkanox 4010 NA.sup.(7)                                                                      1.5     1.5                                                  8: Vulkacit CZ.sup.(8)                                                                           1.2     1.2                                                  9: Vulkacit D.sup.(9)                                                                            0.4     0.4                                                 10: Schwefel.sup.(10)                                                                             1.8     1.8                                                 ______________________________________                                          .sup.(1) A styrenebutadiene copolymer commercially availably from HULS.        .sup.(2) The carbon black used in the two test runs was N339 commercially      available from Columbian Carbon, and Ensaco 150 commercially available         from M.M.M.                                                                    .sup.(3) Zinc oxide commercially available from Zinkweiss.                     .sup.(4) Stearic acid produced and sold by Rheinchemie.                        .sup.(5) Ingralen, an aromatic oil produced and sold by Fuchs.                 .sup.(6) Protektor G, a microcrystalline wax produced and sold by LWFULLE      GmbH.                                                                          .sup.(7) Vulkanox 4010 NA, a phenylisopropyl-p-phenylene-diamine produced      and sold by Bayer.                                                             .sup.(8) Vulkacit CZ, a cyclohexylbenzothiazylsulfenamide produced and         sold by Bayer.                                                                 .sup.(9) Vulkacit D, a diphenylguanidine produced and sold by Bayer.           .sup.(10) Sulfur produced and sold by Metallgesellschaft.                

The properties of the carbon black used are as follows:

                  TABLE 2                                                          ______________________________________                                                        Ensaco 150                                                                             N - 339                                                 ______________________________________                                         Nitrogen S.A. m.sup.2 /g                                                                        45        90                                                  CTAB S.A. m.sup.2 /g                                                                            45        91                                                  Iodine number mg/g                                                                              47        90                                                  ASTM 01510                                                                     DBP A ml/100 g   160       120                                                 24M4 DBP ml/100 g                                                                               92        99                                                  Aggregate structure                                                                             branched.sup.(1)                                                                         cluster.sup.(1)                                                      chain-like                                                    ______________________________________                                          .sup.(1) The aggregate structure was determined by means of SEM.         

The properties shown in the above table were determined in accordance with the above-described methods.

The rubber composition prepared was used for making specimens for various tests of this composition. These tests were carried out after vulcanizing or curing the specimens which were produced at a temperature of 155° C. and for a time of t₉₀ minutes. The most important mechanical properties are shown in the following table:

                  TABLE 3                                                          ______________________________________                                                      N339       Ensaco 150                                             ______________________________________                                         Shore A.sup.(1)                                                                                64 +/- 0.5   54 +/- 0.2                                        Rebound resilience.sup.(2) %                                                                   29 +/- 0.2   36 +/- 0.2                                        Tensile strength.sup.(3) (MPa)                                                                22.5 +/- 1.1 16.9 +/- 0.7                                       Modulus (MPa) at.sup.(4)                                                       100%           1.2 +/- 0.1  1.4 +/- 0.1                                        300%           2.1 +/- 0.1  2.9 +/- 0.1                                        500%           10.9 +/- 0.6 10.4 +/- 0.2                                       Elongation %.sup.(5)                                                                          559 +/- 28   555 +/- 40                                         Tear strength.sup.(6) N/m                                                                     12.7 +/- 0.4 14.4 +/- 0.5                                       Abrasion loss.sup.(7) g/mm.sup.3                                                              87 +/- 4     122 +/- 2                                          Density.sup.(8) g/cm.sup.3                                                                    1.152        1.158                                              ______________________________________                                          .sup.(1) Determined in accordance with DIN 53 505.                             .sup.(2) Determined in accordance with DIN 53 512.                             .sup.(3) Determined in accordance with DIN 53 504.                             .sup.(4) Determined in accordance with DIN 53 504.                             .sup.(5) Determined in accordance with DIN 53 504.                             .sup.(6) Determined in accordance with DIN 53 507.                             .sup.(7) Determined in accordance with DIN 53 516.                             .sup.(8) Determined in accordance with DIN 53 479.                       

The tyre performance characteristics G* and tan δ were also measured on the vulcanized specimens using the standard technologies for measuring these abovementioned features. The results are shown in the following table:

                  TABLE 4                                                          ______________________________________                                                   Temperature                                                          Carbon black                                                                              -22° C.                                                                          17° C.                                                                            58° C.                                                                        98° C.                              ______________________________________                                         G* (MPa), frequency 1 Hz                                                       N339       22.49    6.437     3.974 3.193                                      Ensaco 150 14.04    4.739     3.355 2.799                                      tan δ, frequency 1 Hz                                                    N339       0.5010   0.3046    0.2143                                                                               0.1445                                     Ensaco 150 0.5159   0.2389    0.1537                                                                               0.0891                                     G* (MPa), frequency 10 Hz                                                      N339       35.52    7.689     4.504 3.507                                      Ensaco 150 24.43    5.575     3.730 3.020                                      tan δ, frequency 10 Hz                                                   N339       0.6808   0.3359    0.2357                                                                               0.1614                                     Ensaco 150 0.7694   0.2632    0.1787                                                                               0.1049                                     ______________________________________                                    

As can be seen from the last table, the carbon black/rubber composition according to this invention has a steeper temperature profile for tan δ than does regular tyre tread black N339. In contrast, the temperature profile for the G* value for the novel composition is not as steep as for regular tyre tread black. The tyre tread composition of this invention thus possesses a high hysteresis at low temperatures and a very low hysteresis at high temperatures. This allows the mixing of the defined carbon black into a tyre tread composition, if desired together with other carbon blacks, so that both the group in the wet of the rubber composition is increased and the rolling resistance at high temperature is reduced. This represents an advantageous combination of properties of a carbon black/rubber composition. The respective temperature profile allows the use of this black for "tailoring" tyre compositions, in particular when special carbon blacks having high abrasion resistance are used in combination with the new carbon black claimed.

Other properties are maintained at an acceptable level and can be matched. 

We claim:
 1. A carbon black/rubber composition comprising 100 parts by weight of a rubber and from 40 to 200 parts by weight of a carbon black, wherein the carbon black comprises:a) a surface area (determined by means of nitrogen or by means of CTAB) of from 30 to 100 m² /g; b) a DBP value of from 90 to 180 ml/100 g; c) a 24M4-DBP value of from 70 to 130 ml/100 g; andwherein the carbon black composition comprises: a) a tan δ (1 Hz) value at-2° C.>0.320 18° C. 0.140 to 0.200 58° C. 0.100 to 0.140 98° C.<0.090 ##EQU1## b) a tan δ (10 Hz) value at -2° C.>0.550 18° C. 0.130 to 0.200 58° C. 0.110 to 0.160 98° C.<0.110 ##EQU2## c) a G* (1 Hz) value at -2° C. 8 to 16 18° C. 3.5 to 7.0 58° C. 3 to 7.0 98° C. 2.5 to 5.0 G* (-22° C.)-G* (98° C.); maximum 8; d) a G* (10 Hz) value at-2° C. 14 to 21 18° C. 4 to 8 58° C. 3 to 6 98° C. 3 to 5.5 G* (-22° C.)-G* (98° C.); maximum 14;whereby the above properties are determined in accordance with the following methods:

    ______________________________________                                         nitrogen surface                                                                           ASTM D-3037                                                        area                                                                           CTAB surface area                                                                          ASTM D-3765                                                        DBP         ASTM D-2414                                                        24M4-DBP    ASTM D-3493                                                        tan δ vulcanized in ASTM D3191 at 155° C. at t.sub.90             G*          vulcanized in ASTM D3191 at 155° C. at                                  t.sub.90.                                                          ______________________________________                                    


2. A composition as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rubber comprises at least one rubber selected from the group consisting of:natural rubber diolefin-monovinylarene copolymer rubber; and polyalkadiene.
 3. A composition as claimed in claim 1 or 2, further comprising from 5 to 35 parts by weight of at least one rubber selected from the group consisting of halo rubber, chloro rubber and bromo rubber.
 4. A composition as claimed in claim 1 or 2, containing from 20 to 100 parts by weight of an abrasion-resistant tire tread carbon black and from 20 to 100 parts by weight of the carbon black as claimed in claim 1 based on 100 parts by weight of the rubber.
 5. A composition as in claim 1, wherein said carbon black comprises:a) a surface area of from 40 to 80 m² /g; b) a DBP value of from 130 to 180 ml/100 g; c) a 24M4-DBP value of from 85 to 120 ml/100 g; andwherein said carbon black/rubber composition comprises: a) a tan δ (1 Hz) value at-22° C.>0.340, 18° C. 0.150 to 0.180, 58° C. 0.110 to 0.130, 98° C.<0.085; b) a tan δ (10 Hz) value at-22° C.>0.570, 18° C. 0.160 to 0,185, 58° C. 0.130 to 0.150, 98° C.<0.100; c) a G* (1 Hz) value at-2° C. 9 to 12, 18° C. 4 to 5.5, 58° C. 3 to 4.5, 98° C. 2.8 to 4.0; d) a G* (10 Hz) value at-22° C. 15 to 18, 18° C. 4.5 to 6, 58° C. 3.4 to 4.8, 98° C. 3 to 4.5.
 6. A composition as claimed in claim 2, wherein said diolefin-monovinylarene copolymer rubber comprises butadiene-styrene copolymer rubber and wherein said polyalkadiene comprises polybutadiene.
 7. A composition as in claim 2, wherein said polyalkadiene comprises polyisoprene.
 8. A composition as claimed in claim 3, wherein said halo rubber comprises halopolyisobutylene.
 9. A composition as in claim 3, wherein said chloro rubber comprises chloropolyisoprene.
 10. A composition as in claim 3, wherein said bromo rubber comprises bromoisoprene.
 11. A composition as claimed in claim 3, containing from 20 to 100 parts by weight of an abrasion-resistant tire tread carbon black and from 20 to 100 parts by weight of the carbon black as claimed in claim 1 based on 100 parts by weight of the rubber. 